Portable water-tower and fire-escape.



No. 718,965. 'PATENTED JAN, 20, 1903.

HI H1 PORTABLE WATER TOWER AND FIRE ESCAPE;

APPLIUATION FILED MAY 20, 1901. 110 uonnn.

PATBNTED JAN. 20, 1903. 4 H. H. GORTBR. PORTABLE WATER TOWER AND FIRE'ESGAPE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 20, 1901. H0 MODEL.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

\ milililililili s 120,. mmautnu, WASHINGTON. n. c.

Ihti'rnn A'IENT OFFICE.

HENRY H. GORTER, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR TO MARY F. GORTER, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

PORTABLE WATER-TOWER AND FIRE-ESCAPE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Fatent No. 718,965, dated January 20, 1903.

Application filed May 20, 1901.

T aZZ whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, HENRY H. (learns, a citizen of the United States, residing at San Francisco, in the county of San Francisco and State of California, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Portable \Vater- Towers and Fire-Escapes, of which the follow ing is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in struts or side braces used on portable watertowers and fire-escapes to increase stability when elevated in action, said stability being ordinarily limited by the allowable width of wheel-base of the apparatus.

The object of my invention is to provide braces that will he self-sustaining and rigid when connected up and whose usefulness does not depend on their adaptability of being driven in the ground, such braces proving useless when applied to a cement sidewalk or other hard covering on the public thoroughfare. I attain this object by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 shows my improved brace as applied to my water-tower, which was fully described in Patent No. 645,470 and shows the way it is carried when not in use. Fig. 2 shows a sectional view of the means employed to stretch or set up the connecting-cables. Fig. 3 shows a rear View of a section of the tower with the braces set up and connected ready to support.

Similar letters refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

The rod a, swivels by means of jaws p on bolt 5, which itself is revolubly mounted in journal 0, placed below the fulcrum q of the mast z of the tower. These two swivel connections are axially at right angles to each other, thereby allowing said rod to to move in all directions. The rod to is provided with a screw-thread 0c of suitable length, in which is cutagroove g. On this screw-thread .rtravels anut h, having handleslfor turning it. This nut h is revolubly connected to a sleeve k, on which are two eye-rings s and s. A set-screw j is screwed in sleeve 70 and fits loosely in the groove 9, allowing the sleeve 7: to move up and down on the rod a, but preventing all rotary movement of same. The rod a carries,

Serial No. 61,159. (No model.)

further, near its loose end a bracket y, from which swing two legs or standards 11 and 'L. These'are connected near their middle by a short length of chain or wire rope 1), allowing them to open a suitable distance only, thus forming an A-frame.

To the frame of the tower and at a suitable depth below the connecting-point b of rod a are fastened two eyebolts d and 01, preferably equal distance apart horizontally from said connecting-point b of rod a. Fastened to said eyebolts d and d are suitable lengthsof chain or wire rope r and 1", having a hook m on the other end, adapted to engage with 6 eye-rings s and s" on sleeve 70. The forward wire rope 1" may also be permanently connected with said rod a.

For the purpose of supporting the free end of rod a when not required for use the frame of the tower is provided with a saddle or fork end 6.

It will be seen that the parts of the frame to which the strut or rod a and links 1" r are connected constitute a rigid frame wide at the base and narrow at the top, that the strut disjointed to the top of said frame, and that the frame, struts, and links are substantially tetrahedral in arrangement.

To operate my device, lift rod aout of sad- 8o dle 6, swing said rod at around till the forward wire rope 'r is tight, allowing legs 2' and z" to swing downward and opening saidlegs 2 and 2" out as far as the chain n will permit, letting them rest on the ground in that position, after which connect chain or wire rope rto eyering 3 on sleevek. If now out It is turned by means of handles l, so as to force out sleeve 7c, it will tighten the wire ropes r and r and press the rod a downward on compass-legs 't' and 2', thus forming a rigid brace against capsizing of apparatus.

I do not particularly claim the device for tighteningof wire ropes 1' and r as placed on red at. This is my preferred construction. Similar devices may be placed on frame of tower and connected to the wire ropes, producing like results; but,

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-- 1. In a portable water-tower, the combination of a rigid frame, having a Wide base and a narrow top, of a strut jointed to the top of said frame, and two links attached to the opposite ends of the base of the frame, the other ends of said links being attached to said strut at a lower portion thereof, said frame struts and links, being thus substantially tetrahedral in arrangement, substantially as described.

2. In a portable fire-extinguishing apparatus, the combination with the frame, of a strut jointed thereto, links connecting the,

lower part of said strut with said frame below said joint at points at a distance from each other, a nut on said strut to which the ends of said links are attached, said nut when turned operating to tighten said links, and

means for turning said nut, substantially as described.

3. In a portable water-tower, the combina tion with the frame, of a strut jointed on said frame, compass legs pivoted on said strut near the free end thereof, connecting-links attached to said strut and to the frame of the tower below said joint, and means for tightening said connecting-links, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 14Eth day of May, 1901.

HENRY H. GORTER.

\Vitnesses:

J os. PENDERGAST, CHARLES F. HEALEY. 

